The Essentials
by MysticScribe
Summary: Result of a prompt on LJ community Rouxattitude. A short string of drabbles inspired by Ron Weasley's rapports with women. Featuring Molly, Ginny, Pr. McGonagall, Lavender, Luna. Am I forgetting someone?
1. Moment

**-o- The Essentials** **-o-**

_**Disclaimer **: Nothing is mine, sadly._

_This was the result of a prompt on Rouxattitude, a LJ community that is dedicated to Ron-centric fictions. The prompt was to write ten drabbles (100-300 words) inspired by designated perfume names – mostly French. I wrote ten vignettes about Ron's rapports with the women in his life. Here are the first five: you will get the other five tomorrow._

_I'm trying my hand at something bittersweet. __I tried not to use a fluffy tone, but hey, it may have happened. __I hope you will find some in there that you'll enjoy. Thanks for reading._

**

* * *

****1. The Essentials**

**L'Instant - Guerlain** (_The Moment)_

_**Characters:** Ron, Molly Weasley _

_Ron is 2._

_206 words_

_

* * *

She is standing in front of him. Her hands are firmly on her hips. She is frowning. _

In front of her, her youngest son is throwing a tantrum. She watches him with despair: he is only two years old and so stubborn already. His small face is crimson and he wails with an intensity that makes her ears tingle.

He is furious. Around him, shards of glass are littering the floor. The window has exploded. He is frantically waving his broken miniature broom in front of her: he has no words to describe his anger. She cannot bring herself to scold him. She is relieved from what she just saw, relieved to the point tears prickle her eyes.

Ron took his first steps so late, he spoke his first word at fifteen months...

She picks him up so he will not hurt himself on the shards that draw a glittering shockwave around him. She holds him tightly against her; her mouth is grazing his hair, "Shush, now. I'll repair it for you."

The child raises tearful eyes to her. She smiles. He stops crying and his suspicious gaze find hers. She kisses him on the forehead.

"Thank Merlin for this," she whispers, "you're not a Squib."


	2. Zeitgeist

**2. The Essentials**

**L'Air du Temps – Nina Ricci **_(Oh, tough one to translate. It would be the equivalent of Zeitgeist, I guess: spirit of the times.)_

_**Characters:** Ron, Molly Weasley _

_Ron is six._

_190 words_

_

* * *

_

"This clock isn't a _real_ clock, Mum. Why do you call it like this?"

Ron points an accusatory finger at the slim hand on the clock that indicates with a squeal that Arthur will be home shortly. Molly opens her arms to him, "Come here, dear."

He walks to her with obedience and her hand slicks an unruly wisp of hair. Their faces are close now; she brings a single finger to her lips. They listen in silence, waiting for the regular strokes that come from the inmost depths of the clock.

Molly whispers and gives him a conspirational wink, "It's more than a clock, dear. It's the heart and soul of this house."

She cannot stifle a chuckle when she witnesses his dubious expression and she opens her arms to him for a cuddle. His youngest son pushes his cheek against her bosom. She does not see that he is frowning again.

It is an astounding evidence for this blissful child, who is engulfed in her soft wheat and wild flower scent.

The heart and soul of this house is not made from magical wood.


	3. Treasure

**3. ****The Essentials **

**Trésor - Lancôme **_(Treasure)_

_**Characters **: Ron, Ginny _

_The night before Ron's departure for his first year at Hogwarts. _

_Word count: 199_

* * *

He blinks when the thunder shakes up the Burrow in a loud rumble. Only then, he senses her lithe presence in the darkness.

"Please, Ron, let me sleep in your bed."

His sulkiness fades when he sees his sister's face.

Her feet are cold against his calves. She pushes something that melts in his hand. He thinks it is a creature of some sort and he bites his tongue. Her voice is a whisper, "You'll be hungry on the train."

He wiggles.

He wishes for friends at Hogwarts. _His_ friends. He is happy he will not be expected to share everything with her when she will join him next year.

He will finally get away from the one who follows him around like a shadow.

Ginny pushes her back to him. Ron drops the melted Chocolate Frog under his bed. An unexplainable wave swallows him. He curls up to her and he is somewhat relieved his brothers are not there to tease him.

Each time the thunder rolls, Ron softens his voice so she will not hear his own fear, "Don't be afraid, Ginny. I'm here."

Hours are flying: when will he be again the keeper of his sister?


	4. Dragon's Kiss

**4. The Essentials **

**Le Baiser du Dragon** – **Cartier** (The Dragon's Kiss)

_**Characters:** Ron, Fred, George, Minerva McGonagall_

_Ron's first momentsat Hogwarts_

_Word count: 296_

* * *

Her back is straight as the trees that grow behind the Burrow. Her reputation preceeds her.

Fred and George's portrayal of her scared him to death.

They made him swear on Scabber's head that he would not reveal a word about what they were about to say. Fred whispered, "You'll have to face a Troll without your wand to prove your worth.Then, you'll be sortedinto a house. We all did it, didn't we? This is how we got into Gryffindor. _Maybe _you'll be able to do it too."

George nodded solemnly, "And there is also Professor McGonagall to face in a duel. When I faced her, fire came out of her wand, like this…_wooosh_. You should be afraid of _her_. The Troll is rubbish."

Trolls are the top ten list of Ron's fears. Spiders are definite winners.

But teachers that cast fire spells at new students?

He has not dared to think about that before. Even if he pleaded and tried to buy them with Chocolate Frogs, they did not want to tell him how they passed through it all.

He now understands they lied – the prats- about the Troll thing, but what about _her_? His knees tremble when she calls his name.

TheSorting Hat does not hesitate a second to claim, "Gryffindor!"

He gives it back to the Head of his new House. Something is glistening in her eyes when he crosses her steady gaze and he has the feeling she is seeing right through him. She mutters between her teeth, "Mr. Weasley."

Fred and George are liars, but they have a point: he wonders who would even _try_ to displease her.


	5. Poison

**5. The Essentials**

**Poison- Dior **

_**Characters:** Ron, Hermione_

_Word count: 158  
_

_First year_

* * *

She is impossible.

She is always disdainful when she speaks to him.

She is proud to last degree.

She is exhausting.

She is a walking nightmare.

She has a voice that sounds like the rattles used by the cheering crowds when they encourage their local Quidditch team.

She is grating.

She never gives him credit. _Never_.

She sees further than he does.

She sees things he has not noticed yet.

She is confident and her stiff manners make his tongue itch with rude words he is able to keep to himself – sometimes.

She makes him feel inferior.

She knows everything.

She is so _perfect_.

She is _killing_ him.

Wait.

She lies with nerve.

She protects them.

She does not even twitch under Professor McGonagall's percing gaze when the lies slip from her lips.

Suddenly, he is getting used to her.

She is still a nagging pest of a girl.

But she is also his friend.


	6. Flower

**The Essentials **

**6. Fleur de Rocaille** (Ouch. Something like : "flower that grows on a bed of rocks". Tough one.)

_**Characters:** Ron, Ginny_

_Second year_

* * *

He chokes as he tries to slow down his breathing.

He let her down. When she tried to talk to them, he saw the omnious shadows that were lurking in her usually bright eyes. She looked so tired. Even her red hair did not look as flamboyant as usual.

He thought she was homesick. Now, he thinks with shameabout how he turned his back to her to stay with his friends. He chose to ignore the worry that reeked from her.

He gets angry with himself: he should have forced the words out of her. He should have nagged her as he always did when she seemed to be knowing something _he_ did not know.

He is not making sense of all of what is going on, but he knows enough to be terrified for her. He is afraid for Harry too. He wants them back _now_.

His thoughts graze the image of Hermione who has been petrified : he wishes he could listen right now to her obnoxious lectures instead of the mutterings of this lousy excuse of a wizard.

He has the sinister impression that his sister is escaping life and he had seen nothing, he had done nothing.

He jolts: Harry's voice is near.

He pants as he removes the heavy rocks, as fast as he can, and then her face appears. He takes a long look at her. Fat tears are rolling on her cheeks. He has never been so grateful to see her: her hair and robes are soaked with – he almost faints – is that blood?

He wants to tell her how much he was worried about her, how grateful she is back, but the words drown in his throat. Words are heavy and carry complicated feelings.

He sports a fake bravado and he lends her a hand. He just want to pluck her from this place and bring her where she belongs.

In safety.


	7. I adore

**7. The Essentials **

**J'adore - Dior** (I adore)

_Oh I got experimental on this one. Thanks to L. _

_Peeping and confused teenager ahead._

_**Characters:** Ron, Hermione_

_Word count: 178_

_Fourth year_

_

* * *

How_

Who

Why

Her with Krum

Mouth

Chin

Eyes

Neck

Eyes

Swept up hair

Shoulders

Arms

Skin too much skin she's teasing

Can't look down there

Not proper

It's only her My friend My annoying friend My bossy friend My impossible friend

What is she doing with Krum Is she going out with him Why didn't she tell me Did he kiss her Did she kiss him

Look how he's holding her He's touching her She's letting him touch her

He kissed her She kissed him I'm so sure he did she did they did

Why didn't she tell us Why didn't she tell me

Why did she

Can't look she's my friend

Obnoxious

Know-it-all

Want to look

Just a peep

Want

What if she saw me

What if Harry saw me

Need to Want to

Now

Look

Just a peep

Breasts

Look away

Fast

Ceiling

Again Again Again Again Again

Breasts

Bloody hell

Waist

Hips

Skirt

Eyes that look at him

Eyes with admiration Why

Breathe

Hate him

Why why why why

Didn't want to beg her on my knees

She's too proud


	8. Jungle

**8. The Essentials – Jungle - Kenzo  
**

_**Characters:** Ron, Luna _

_Word count: 167_

_Fifth year_

_

* * *

He spies her as she is reading "__The Quibbler"._He spies her as she is reading " 

He foolishly believes he can read her mind.

Mysterious and elusive creatures hide in a corner, their eyes shining with anticipation. Thestrals and Snorkacks lurk in silence. Multicoloured plants blossom and exhale heady and luxurious scents. He scratches his chin when she raises his eyes to him. Her eyes have an evanescent quality to them. She smiles and whispers, "What is seething in your thoughts, Ronald?"

_What's on my mind?_

_My mind is much simpler than yours, Luna. There are broomsticks, a carefully hidden spider, a cheering crowd, sun, red-haired heads, my best friend, Chocolate Frogs and a swarm of tangled brown hair.  
_

He keeps his thoughts to himself. He is staring back in silence.

Luna nods thoughtfully, as if the answer was floating between them, "I see."Ron blushes.

Sometimes, he would like to hide all of this brown hair behind shields of deep green leaves, as inscrutable as the ones - he thinks - flourish in Luna's mind.


	9. Opium

**9. The Essentials – Opium** – **YSL**

_Characters: Ron/Lavender_

_Word count : 281_

_Sixth year_

* * *

In her eyes, he sees himself stronger. He's more handsome, more athletic. Something in her eyes makes this irritating inner voice shut up.

He catches his reflection in Lavender' eyes and it is appealing, almost soothing. In her eyes, he feels wanted.

Snog-worthy.

He happily destroys the last obstacles without looking back. The heady sensation of doing something against his inner voice gets to him. He thinks he will be able to turn back whenever he wants.

He lowers his head and smiles to her: he asks himself with smugness if she is waiting for him to take the lead. Soon enough, he does not think anymore. Her lips are on his and Lavender's tongue flicks in his slightly dry mouth.

He understands why snogging is so intoxicating. His sister was right all the way: he will never have the nerve to confide that to her. His feverish mind gets finally a grip on all the reasons why a bloke should want to provoke the encounters with a pretty girl's mouth.

Something about all this gets him to forget the rumour in the Gryffindor's common room. He forgets that Harry and Ginny are looking at him with stupefaction. He forgets that Hermione almost runs away. Something about snogging blurs reality: the very strict corners of his life smooth off. He finds himself in a hazy disposition.

An exhilarating feeling of triumph flourishes in him. He will press often his lips against hers to feel this fog again. But very soon, sooner that he would have thought, snogging Lavender is not merely enough to shut his inner voice. Snogging does not make him stronger.; it makes him weaker.

He starts to think the effect is fading out.


	10. Selfish

**10. The Essentials – Égoïste - Chanel **_(Selfish)_

**Characters :** Ron/Hermione 

_Word count: 268_

_Behind the Burrow, summer of the seventh year _

* * *

For seven years, words have come out of her mouth with sharp reproach. They have made him do things his mother would frown upon.

In their first year, he stretched his hand to grasp the last cookie. He chewed it with his mouth open so Harry would laugh and she would look at them with disgust.

In their second year, he asked her if Harry and he could be allowed to keep things to themselves so he could turn her away.

In their fourth year, he spoke hastily and he shouted: he asked her why Harry and he should share her with some other bloke so she would give him a truthful answer. He learned from Ginny that he made her cry.

In their sixth year, he snapped that _Harry_ never asks anything from him so she would shut up already.

And on the verge of their seventh year, she still mouthes the words.

"You're acting so selfish, Ron," she said a few minutes ago, with fire in her eyes.

He almost cried with frustration. He hissed, "You're bloody unfair, Hermione. Don't you understand I think about _you _first?"

He did not add Harry's name this time. That left her silent.

He is laying on his back under the massive oak, his head on her lap. Her hand ruffles his hair. He is relishing the moment where a simple touch of her hand is enough to make him feel cherished. His lips still tingle from the kiss they shared.

Scolding words will certainly come. He opens his eyes: he deserves it this time. He is soaking in her affection, without even giving back. Does she know how much she is giving to him and how he wishes to give her everything he has? Does she know he fears it will never be enough for what she deserves?

But Hermione says nothing. She is smiling.

Ron is waiting for words that will never be spoken again.

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__Thank you for reading._


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